Falco DiGeneral ‘recharged’ and ready to soar

From the inner-city community of Grants Pen, St Andrew, Falco DiGeneral is using his positive music to initiate changes to the cultural norms he once knew, and impact the world at large.

"The community even more volatile right now. Mi did waah change it wid di music, but I don't think dat alone can help right now. Music can change a lot of things, but yuh have a certain point when things reach outta hand, weh music cya help it," he said. "My aim at first was fi buss, den spread dah joy deh, but mi nuh think dah joy deh can help people right now. People hungry, some addi people dem waah work and cya get no work. I don't think I or music alone can fix dat problem. I think we as a people and di whole Jamaica, the prime minister and whosoever have any kinda power affi come together and fix dah problem deh, because I'm not a supporter of crime," said Falco, whose given name is Damion Allen.

In 2021, the Fix Things singjay built his own New Beginingz Recording Studio in Grants Pen with the aim to provide a space where aspiring artistes could hone their craft. Though the studio helped to foster the talent of dancehall artistes such as Jahshii, he believes more needs to be done. Falco stated that the studio was also built with the aim to mix his own music to his liking. Despite the "failures and challenges" of his own music career, the artiste said he made a conscious decision from a tender age to walk this path.

"I lose friends by gunshot going to high school, so I wanted to be different...so this [is] how the music came into play, because I was good at English, so I started write poems [to win over] the girls dem and then I start writing lyrics. But I never know nothing about key at the time, but I learnt, and that's where it started," he said, admitting that no other field has been as hard as music. "But wi a dweet 'cause wi have di love fi it and is a gift weh mi born wid, suh mi naah give up."

As the former Bank of Jamaica accountant now focuses on a path of motivation and upliftment through music, he said his debut EP, titled Employee of The Month, was a reflection of his life experiences creatively compacted with inspiring singles.

"At the time, I was parring with a guy called Psi Phi [owner of] Psi Phi Music and he was a very positive person; suh even if mi did waah sing some little dirty songs at the time, mi couldn't sing it. But eventually mi seh him have di right message. Suh mi seh, 'Why mi nuh sing some motivational songs?' Suh, di Employee of The Month was basically saying I'm the hardest working person; it's not really based on any nine-to-five," shared Falco.

In addition to writing and producing his own songs, he was the lead character in a recent Jamaican action movie titled Shadow, in which he played a gangster "with a heart". He said a sequel is currently being filmed. With a revived drive to pursue both acting and music, Falco said he is charged and motivated to take his career to higher heights. He hailed stalwart artistes such as Spragga Benz, Agent Sasco and Beenie Man for having a major influence on his career. Falco added that his five-year goal is "not to be the best".

"I want to get mi message across - mi waah people listen to mi music and understand the quality because I'm very good at writing; so I want to be heard. [Also] mi waah mek money out a it and deh pon a level weh mi can tek care a mi family and help build mi community. Because the biggest thing mi wudda like fi do, a see how mi can help change mi community," he said.